Lamont, Griebel Focus On Income Tax And Missing Stefanowski In First Major Debate

Oz Griebel and Democrat Ned Lamont squared off in the first major gubernatorial debate of the fall season Wednesday night at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford. Republican Bob Stefanowski says he would not be attending but will attend five other debates before November 6.

Democrat Ned Lamont and independent Oz Griebel squared off Wednesday night on taxes and the economy — rejecting the idea of eliminating the state income tax.

Republican Bob Stefanowski, who did not attend the first major gubernatorial debate of the fall election season, is pushing for eliminating the income tax over eight years. Stefanowski has said he will attend the next five upcoming debates over the next two months. His campaign said the Sept. 5 date was too early in the election season.

Unlike Stefanowski, both Griebel and Lamont said eliminating the income tax is impossible.

“That is just a false promise,’’ Lamont said during the one-hour forum at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford. “It’s time you had a governor who tells you the truth on what we can and can’t do. … It will jack up the property tax.’’

He added, “The problem is not the income tax. The problem is the failure of the political leadership in this state, going back generations.’’

Griebel said eliminating the gift and estate taxes, which are largely paid by the state’s wealthiest residents, are a more important priority in the short term than trying to eliminate the income tax. Keeping millionaires and billionaires is important because they pay large amounts of income tax and make philanthropic gifts, he said. He encouraged citizens to remain in Connecticut in order to help reverse the state’s long-running financial problems.

“If you stay here, we’re headed in the right direction,’’ Griebel said.

Continuing what he calls the positive tone that he has tried to set for his campaign, Lamont said there are opportunities in Connecticut for both the young and middle-aged.

“We have thousands and thousands of good-paying jobs that we can’t fill now … because we are not training people for these jobs,’’ Lamont said. “Shame on us if we don’t take this opportunity.’’

The two-way contest was broadcast live on public radio station WNPR, which co-hosted the event in conjunction with the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, the Connecticut Mirror and WFSB-TV, Channel 3.

The projected deficit for the next fiscal year, after a new governor takes office, is $2 billion, followed by a deficit of $2.5 billion in the following year. Those numbers, however, can change with ups and downs in the stock market, the unemployment rate and gasoline prices, among other factors.

Besides financial problems, Lamont said, the state has problems with technology and efficiencies in places like the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

“A lot of people walk into DMV as a Democrat and they leave as a Republican,’’ said Lamont, a 64-year-old Democrat.

Regarding the state’s long-running financial and transportation problems, Lamont said, “I can’t solve this thing in a year. I can’t solve it in two years.’’

Lamont shared the stage with the 69-year-old Griebel, who polled at only 4 percent in the latest Quinnipiac University survey. Lamont was leading by 13 percentage points over Stefanowski in the poll, but Stefanowski’s campaign says their own internal polls and a Sacred Heart University survey show the race to be closer.

Lamont said he enjoyed sitting on stage with Griebel, adding that he hopes Griebel could reach 10 percent in the polls — the minimum threshold set by at least one of the future debates for participation.

“Give him 10 percent, but not out of my share,’’ Lamont said.

Pushing for his goal of 200,000 net new jobs, Griebel said state officials must speak more often with chief executive officers and business owners.

“We need to reignite confidence in business owners,’’ he said, adding that the state must stop companies from moving to places like South Carolina.

Regarding raising taxes, Griebel said, “There are no easy answers. … If you ask me what taxes would I raise, I would look at it in the context of the budget deficit. … I would look first and foremost to reduce costs.’’

Throughout the early part of the campaign, Stefanowski has criticized Lamont repeatedly over taxes. When asked Wednesday night what he was thinking when he said on the Chaz and AJ WPLR morning radio program that he would raise taxes, Lamont said, “I thought about tolling’’ on tractor-trailer trucks.

He added, “I think we have to convince the taxpayers of Connecticut that their money is being well spent. … I’ve heard the [Stefanowski] ad on TV. It slams me hard.’’

Concerning the sluggish collection of the state sales tax, with the former state tax commissioner in the audience, Lamont said, “We’re lousy at collecting it.’’

Casinos

The two candidates also said they were open-minded about a potential new casino on the waterfront in Bridgeport. But they agreed that the state’s problems are far bigger than casinos. In a state budget of more than $20 billion in the current fiscal year, the state is projected to collect only about $200 million from slot machines revenues at the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos — a projected number that has shrunk due to new competition from the MGM casino in Springfield.

“Another casino is pretty far down that list,’’ Lamont said of the state’s priorities. “I’ve spent a lot of time over the past four months with Joe Ganim, and he said, ‘Stop calling it a casino. Call it a resort.’‘’

Griebel said he is concerned about potential traffic problems on an already congested I-95 if thousands of daily gamblers come into Bridgeport in the future.

Griebel also criticized Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s “First Five’’ plan of providing grants and loans to profitable corporations in order to create jobs.

“It irritates people who don’t get the money,’’ Griebel said.

Lamont agreed, saying, “I’d be very cautious about throwing out these incentives like the First Five program.’’

Full-Time Legislature?

Both candidates were cautious about switching from the current model of a citizen legislature to a full-time, year-round legislature.

“That may be more time for mischief,’’ Lamont said.

“I would never support a full-time legislature,’’ Griebel said. “It makes no sense when you’re trying to get costs under control. … The full-time legislature is the antithesis of what we need today.’’

Before answering the first question about the income tax, Griebel said he was spreading the word about himself because he is being blocked from two upcoming debates, on Sept. 12 and 17, that he attributes to low poll ratings and a lack of name recognition. A Dartmouth College graduate, Griebel went to law school at night and eventually became the regional president of Bank of Boston Connecticut. He later became the first chief executive officer of the then-newly formed MetroHartford Alliance, which is the regional chamber of commerce.

While Griebel read from prepared remarks, he was asked to answer the opening question — but he said he wanted to continue to talk about his personal background.

“I don’t believe the income tax is the heart of our problems today,’’ he said.

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Megan Ahern, business analyst for Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union, demonstrates the computerized check-in kiosk for driver’s license renewals to be performed in the credit union’s new Milford branch office, starting Thursday, under a contract with the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

Megan Ahern, business analyst for Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union, demonstrates the computerized check-in kiosk for driver’s license renewals to be performed in the credit union’s new Milford branch office, starting Thursday, under a contract with the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

CAPTION

Megan Ahern, business analyst for Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union, demonstrates the computerized check-in kiosk for driver’s license renewals to be performed in the credit union’s new Milford branch office, starting Thursday, under a contract with the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

Megan Ahern, business analyst for Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union, demonstrates the computerized check-in kiosk for driver’s license renewals to be performed in the credit union’s new Milford branch office, starting Thursday, under a contract with the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

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U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson toured the home of Maggie and Vincent Perracchio in Willington on Monday with U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Representative Joe Courtney and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman to see first hand the crumbling condition of the home's foundation.

U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson toured the home of Maggie and Vincent Perracchio in Willington on Monday with U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Representative Joe Courtney and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman to see first hand the crumbling condition of the home's foundation.

Six inmates at the Willard-Cybulski Correctional Institution earned a certificate degree in Advanced Manufacturing Machine Technology from Asnuntuck Community College on Monday morning at the Cybulski Community Reintegration Center in Somers.

Six inmates at the Willard-Cybulski Correctional Institution earned a certificate degree in Advanced Manufacturing Machine Technology from Asnuntuck Community College on Monday morning at the Cybulski Community Reintegration Center in Somers.

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Tenants of Clay Arsenal Renaissance Apartments read letters from HUD that were found taped to their doors, the answer to their eleven months of activism

Tenants of Clay Arsenal Renaissance Apartments read letters from HUD that were found taped to their doors, the answer to their eleven months of activism